Pink test for Jane McGrath an event for the state of NSW according to Geoff Lawson

03/01/2019

The final test match of the 4-match series begins today as Australia host India at the SCG in what’s now become the traditional “Pink test” in honour of Jane McGrath.

Mat Thompson & Geoff Lawson put together a feature breakfast program on Macquarie Sports Radio leading into the opening days. The man affectionately known as “Henry” believes this test match against any opponent has become an event for the people of Sydney “People come from all over NSW, holiday time, it’s such an event just to be there for their first day. I’m expecting it to be quite full, I would expect 30-35,000 for the opening of this important test.”

Stuart MacGill played 44 test matches for Australia and took 208 test wickets with the SCG being his home ground, he has this advice for the Australian side going into the first days play “Bat and bat long, I think if you go back to the old days, 300 on day 1, bat for the first half session tomorrow and get out of there. Go back to basics, we can bowl a team out on the last day. It’s just up to the batsman to put something together day 1.” telling Macquarie Sports Radio.

Former team mate of Lawson, Mike Whitney recapped his test career and what it was like to play against India in yesteryear. Whitney famously bowled to a young star in Sachin Tendulkar, when asked to compare the current Indian captain to the former Indian legend Whitney says “he’s got fire in his eyes Virat… This is the Steve Waugh journey for India, they’ve never won here in over 70 years, he’s the new breed of India, these guys are young, fresh, very aggressive.”

Member of the Macquarie Sports Radio cricket commentary team and former Australian coach Darren Lehman spoke with Australian captain Tim Paine who gave him this feed back on how the pitch is looking “The wicket looks pretty good and hard, I think it will go through nicely to start with and be a typical Sydney wicket. I think you win the toss, bat and bat big” telling Mat & Geoff.

The fourth test match begins today at the SCG between Australia vs. India. Hear every ball LIVE on Macquarie Sports Radio with full coverage of Day 1 beginning at 9.30am AEDST.